Dancing in Raining Rose Petals
by WerewolfsTemptation
Summary: Anya, a vixen assassin, is assigned a mission to track Shuichi Minamino by a mysterious client. Emotions she kept locked away suddenly form again and, despite Anya's better judgement, she finds that her vixen is attracted to Kurama's fox.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Anya never really enjoyed flying in airplanes; it made her uncomfortable being stuck in a small vessel that, if bad luck were to happen, could break down and crash in the sea. Of course, a wreck like that probably wouldn't kill the vixen demoness but she didn't really want to swim all the way to Tokyo. She would much rather run in the open areas of the Demon World rather than the constrictive ties of Humans and their inventions to make their lives so much easier. She hates it in this world for all the pollution in the air from vehicles, smog and extra carbon dioxide smothers scents which her nose so very much relies on for locating prey.

"Good morning, passengers, this is your captain speaking, we are now nearing Tokyo Airport so if you would please fasten your seatbelts, turn off all electrical devices and remain seated at all times, then we will commence landing." The captain states over the speakers in which is translated in Japanese for the remainder of the passengers.

Anya knows her Japanese well. In Demon World, that's usually the prime language for that is what was taught to humans in the early eras. Of course, Anya wasn't around during that time. She's old; just not _that _old. The Demon Masters were the ones who first created her kind. These were creatures with mixtures of humans and animals, or, sometimes, they appeared human altogether. There are different classes, but, to sum it up, elves, dwarves and gods are classified as "otherworldly creatures" by humans. Humans forget their history, but the immortals don't.

The plane lands roughly, the wheels flirting with the ground below, agitating the young vixen. A baby in a row beside her wails in protest as the mother half-heartedly soothes the infant. Anya sighs and leans over, whispering a soft spell to put the child to sleep; with a satisfied smile, Anya waits until the little green light flicks on and unbuttons her seat belt, followed by grabbing her carry-on bag and leaving as soon as the door pops open.

Anya rummages through the purse strapped to her shoulder, searching for her pleasant little device called an iPod. With a smirk of satisfaction, she removes the instrument, untangles her headphones and presses play to Bad Romance by Lady Gaga as she waits for her luggage. Fortunately, this vixen packed lightly; she has to be used to traveling lightly in case the heat from her job gets a little too intense.

A pink bag with loads of bleeding hearts drawn with a black and red sharpie undoubtedly from her human friends she left behind because of her job. With a euphoric smile, Anya grabs the handle and hauls the package from the conveyor belt and tosses it over her shoulder so the bulk is against her shoulder blade before walking away.

Anya walks out the airport and down the sidewalk not feeling like being cramped in yet another of the human's contraptions. A good stroll will ease away her tensions and give her a feel of the new environment; a new territory for her to explore.

Anya breathes in the scent of the wilderness, of humans and of the few demons that made their home amongst the mortals. The wind blows a cool breeze, caressing the trees that shudder and release their yellow pollen into the welcoming air. The vixen closes her eyes and stands still, welcoming the sensation from mother earth. Her hair billows away from her face, stretching her long, curled brown hair back smoothly.

A vibration in her pocket disturbs Anya's pleasant moment of bonding with nature; with a sigh, she reaches in her pocket and pulls out a crimson cell phone with the digital letters saying "Mickey". Shaking her head, Anya flips open the phone and presses the speaker to her ear awaiting orders from her oh so mysterious client.

"Anya." The masculine voice mutters

"Mickey Mouse." Anya replies. She never was quite sure why her client went by that name; she sometimes wonders if he was really named that or he just doesn't want her coming after him later, but, either way, she needs his money. "Well, I'm here in Tokyo, so about where I will stay…"

"There's a motel a few blocks where you are at now. Once there, you will already find a room paid in cash. He will give you a room then wait for my call." Mickey Mouse states before hanging up.

"Boy, this 'ought to be fun." Anya mutters to herself then shuts her phone and starts walking again, searching for the motel her temporary boss told her.

Anya smiles as she watches the setting sun paint a beautiful array of colors in the sky; the pink molds in with the purple while orange blossoms between completely overwhelming the once pure blue as night slowly creeps. Dark clouds swirl forward, tucking away the sun away and unveiling the bright, crescent moon that eagerly waits.

A motel sign appears dimly lit for wary travelers of the night. The pale pink walls of the scattered rooms make Anya cringe in disgust. Paint curls away from the source with doors barely on their hinges left wide open for any person to walk through. The green roof has a few wooden boards barely covering holes from past storms and a few windows have spider web cracks in the glass.

"There is no way I am sleeping here. This man has got to be seriously messed up in the head if he thinks that a girl like me will even _think_ about resting here for the night. I'm sorry. I think I'll take my chances in the forest." Anya growls in irritation as she turns on her heel and strides towards the cloaked woods.

Suddenly, her cell phone rings and the digital words "Mickey Mouse" appear in green. Anya flips it open, prepared to give this man a piece of her mind but he speaks first, cutting her off from her rant.

"Get in the motel, Anya. Or I will tell the Spirit Detectives your exact location." Mickey Mouse snarls.

"Sure you will. And doing that will surely risk yourself to being prison bound. Guilty by association, remember?"

"Listen, little fox, if you want this money –which, by the way, I am paying a generous amount – I suggest you do as you're told. I understood that you were the best at this job so if I wanted your input on something, I would ask for it. Now, get in the motel, or you are fired." With that lingering statement, the dull sound of a hung up phone resonates within Anya's ear.

"What a douche!" Anya yells as she shuts her phone and stomps one foot. "I am a girl with high standards and that rat infested- ah!"

With a reluctant groan, Anya walks through the glass door with a cockeyed "welcome" sign wrapped on the handle. A man with a stomach too massive for his stained, white wife-beater sits behind a counter reading a magazine with "XXX" written in bold lettering on the front ignores the ring of a potential customer walking through the door. He scratches his oily hair beneath his grimy hat and flips the page eagerly as Anya shudders in disgust.

"Ahem. I would like my room sometime soon." Anya mutters barely grasping the man's attention.

He grunts a few incoherent words and rummages around the wall of keys before grasping a golden key off its hinge. He tosses the object on the counter and flips the page to his magazine. Anya's eye twitches in annoyance and places a hand on her hip.

"Do I need to sign my name or something?"

"Nah, lady, just go." The man says with a gruff voice.

"Whatever, pervert."

Anya grabs the key and hauls her luggage over her shoulder as she walks out and searches for room 17. She unlocks the meager door and switches on the light expecting to find rats, spiders and cockroaches but is greeted to the sight of two beds with matching pink blankets. She sets her baggage on the ground and places a hand on her hip, investigating the area with her lips pursed.

"Well, at least it has a bed. But I don't think I'll want to sleep on any of these sheets. Lord knows when the last time they have been washed."

Anya shuts the door and locks it with the feeble chain and ensures a false sense of security. With a sigh, Anya tilts her head to the side and runs her fingers through her curly black hair waiting for her body to relax. When her shoulders drop, Anya smiles, readying herself for the transition from her human form to that of her demon self.

The curly black locks of Anya's hair suddenly straighten and lighten to a beautiful auburn color, her human ears disappear and two orange fox ears with white tips emerge atop her head. Her tailbone extends to form a fluffy, orange extremity that swishes happily from the release. Anya opens her eyes, revealing her two emerald orbs that scan the area intensely for any intruders. With heightened senses, Anya hears the scurrying noises of rats in the walls and even the faint moans of a man and his whore in the neighboring room.

"Those two better not keep me up all night or I swear I will kill them." Anya growls knowing full well that she would never harm a human intentionally. Demons, though, she hardly minds slaughtering.

The rose colored phone rang on the fake wooden desk beside on of the beds making Anya sigh and extend her arm toward the annoyance. She mutters a "hello" staring with mild interest at the beige walls in front of her.

"Good girl. I see you made it to your room. Now, you will attend Meiou High School. Once there, you will change your name to Anastasia Revard and I want you to get as much information on a boy named Shuichi Minamino. Understand?"

"Mh hm… I got it. Anything else I should know?" Anya murmurs sleepily.

"Yes. Be sure to hide that demonic aura of yours. The new Spirit Detectives might catch you."

"Spirit Detectives? You mean Koenma has a new one?" Anya states in disbelief. She remembers Sensui rather well. "What happened to Sensui?"

"Yusuke Urameshi killed him. He is also the new Rekai Tantei. The Spirit Detective. It won't be hard for you to detect him; he can hardly control himself. Be at school early tomorrow morning." With that final word, Mickey Mouse hangs up leaving Anya with her memories.

Sensui… Died…

Anya slams her fist on the ground as tears stream down her cheeks watching her memories replay behind her eyes like her own personal movie. She remembers hiding in the warehouse listening to her parents and siblings agonizing screams as they were being tortured by humans. She remembers Sensui raging through the double doors, startling the executioners and the already dying victims. She remembers Sensui losing his composure and slaughtering the inhumane humans and then approaching the sobbing Anya. He lifts her into his arms and cradles her, promising that she will be safe and everything will be fine.

"No…" Anya whispers "I swear Yusuke Urameshi will pay with his life for this injustice!"


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Sorry for this being so long! _ I just had loads of fun with this chapter! Please R&R because it makes me feel a little better about what I'm writing! Don't be shy~ I love people!

* * *

Chapter 2:

Anya places her petite hand on her finely curved hip, watching the woman in the office file through the desk drawer and retrieves a schedule with a forced smile. She examines Anya's faded jeans and the low cut shirt that revealed too much of the young vixen's breasts, so, with a tut-tut-tut, the elder rummaged through the closet and pulled out a maroon school girl outfit.

_Oh hell no. _Anya thinks to herself. _I am not wearing that._

"Here you go, Miss. Anastasia Revard, your very own Meiou High uniform. I'm sure it will look lovely on you." Says the school's staff member.

Anya fakes a sincere smile then folds her schedule into a square and tucks it in her pocket before snatching the ungodly uniform and marching to the ladies restroom to change. She kicks the door shut and grumbles about actually having to wear a skirt – something she attempts to avoid at all cost especially if she might have to fight – but stalks to the girl's bathroom, pushing her shoulder against the door, forcing it open.

A few girls stop their gossip and applying their make up to stare at the new-comer who only glares at them in response. They immediately drop their gaze and quickly gather their things in trembling hands before rushing out. With a smile of satisfaction, Anya sets her bag on the sink countertop and bends over, looking beneath every stall to make sure that she was truly alone then locks the bathroom door for a bit of privacy.

"Stupid human girls," Anya mutters as she removes her shirt. "Putting on all that make up truly makes them look rather unattractive… Whatever happened to natural beauty? Ugh. I must be getting old."

Anya unbuttons her jeans then fingers the pockets for her schedule, not wanting to lose the paper because it meant she would have to pay a visit to that nuisance of a woman in the front office. That was a confrontation this vixen was not willing to partake in. Thus, Anya located a dry area on the countertop to set the paper and continued dressing, remembering the description Mickey Mouse gave her this morning.

"_Shuichi Minamino will have red hair and green eyes. You can't miss him." _

"Yeah, old man, that certainly helps." Sighing, Anya buttons her blouse and –out of spite of the woman in the office- she leaves a few undone to show off what the other girls hide.

Anya tucks away her jeans and top in her backpack, then unlocks the restroom door and strides out, watching as the boys break their necks to look at the lovely young vixen in the maroon skirt that shows off her legs and the way her vest and blouse cling to her perfect curves.

_Oh the joy of being a demoness. Men just love to gawk. _

With a smile, Anya flips her black curls from her face and continues the walk to her homeroom, giving no man a single glance as she passes.

_Pre-Calculus. Mrs. Orichi. Great…_

Anya opens the door and sashays in, earning a few astonished and a few envious glances from the students dwelling in. Hiding her smile, Anya makes her way to the teacher who sat patiently at her desk, her thin wired glasses placed delicately on her little nose.

"Here." Anya mutters as she drops the schedule on the teacher's desk, completely aware of the stares she's acquiring.

Mrs. Orichi timidly takes the paper and reads over Anya's courses and name before smiling warmly and directing her newest student to the desk nearest to the window. Anya nods then retrieves the flimsy schedule and strides to her seat, dropping her bag on the floor and kicking her seat out from under the desk before flopping down, one leg resting atop the other. She tilts her head back, gazing into the blue, blue sky and watching crows fly in different tress, more than likely raiding other birds' nests.

"Um, hi there." A girl stutters, her straight black hair hiding some of her face. "My name is Miki and you are…"

"Anastasia." Anya mutters, not once removing her gaze from outside.

"Anastasia." Miki repeats with a smile. "That's Russian, right?"

Anya shrugs and leans farther back in her chair, until it rests on just the two hind legs; she folds her arms behind her head and gazes lazily at the green trees billowing in the breeze.

"Don't know, don't care."

Anya closes her eyes, waiting for Miki to take the hint to leave her alone but still she stands, shifting her weight uncomfortably. Miki opens her mouth then shuts it, mimicking the movements of a fish gaping for its underwater breath, Anya mentally notes. Finally, Anya leans forward, bringing the chair to a firm, loud landing startling the young girl and half of the class who give her irritated glares.

"Alright, Miki," sighs Anya "how about you pull up a desk and sit with me."

Miki smiles brightly then rushes away to gather her belongings from the other side of the classroom as Anya rubs the bridge of her nose wondering to herself if she will regret this decision in the long run. She closes her eyes and feels Miki's movement as she sets her stuff on the ground and pulls back the chair, sitting herself beside Anya.

Anya opens her eyes and tilts her head towards Miki, staring into her beaming eyes earning a slight smile from the demoness.

"So, Miki, I was wondering. Do all the girls have to wear these skirts, vests and blouses? It seems pretty annoying to me."

"Mh hm. All of us do. It's required."

"Can't we wear the guys' uniform? It seems more comfortable…"

"No." Miki giggles "We would be expelled. Your parents should have told you that. This is a very high ranking school. Not just anybody can get it. But, you probably knew that, I mean, the exam is so hard and so confusing to take. I just barely passed."

_Thanks, Mickey Mouse, for leaving out that tid-bit if information. _

"Yeah. It was pretty difficult." Anya mutters.

"I'm surprised, though. Usually the school never lets anyone come in during mid-term. You must be extra smart! I'm sure you would give Shuichi a run for his money in intellect!"

_Shuichi._

"Shuichi?"

"Oh, yes! Shuichi Minamino! He's the smartest in the school and, not to mention, the most handsome." Miki blushes and fumbles with her fingers. "As far as all the girls know, he doesn't have a girlfriend… And a few have asked him to the prom that's coming up but he declined…"

"Did you ask him?"

Miki's silence is a clear enough answer for Anya who exhales and scans the classroom, noting a very petite figure reading a book in front of the class. She tilts her head to the side, a very fox-like gesture, as she examines the red-head before her.

"Miki, I thought you said that all girls had to wear the skirts. Why isn't she?" Anya asks as she points to the redheaded female in front of her.

Miki follows Anya's gaze then gasps sharply and quickly leans in to Anya's ear, who withdraws at the sudden contact.

"Are you nuts? That's not a girl! He's Shuichi Minamino!" Miki whispers.

"Oh. My bad… But he looks like a girl…" Anya mutters.

"That's what makes him so special! Well, I think so at least… I mean, he's so sweet and takes good care of his mother! She was in the hospital and every day after school he would go and visit her! How sweet!" Miki giggles.

Anya nods then casually stands and begins to walk towards Shuichi only for Miki to grab her arm and jerk Anya back earning a slight growl of annoyance which the demoness quickly retracts. Anya glares into Miki's almost black eyes, questioning her as to why she was stopped.

"You just called Meiou High School's Prince a girl. You shouldn't go up and talk to him." Miki bluntly states.

"Really? Watch me." Anya says as she snatches her arm from the human's grasp and strides to the seemingly unaware Shuichi Minamino whose only motion is that of turning the pages of his book.

Anya leans her hip against the young man's desk and clears her throat waiting for his acknowledgement of her presence. With a careful hand, Shuichi bends the corner of the page and silently closes his book before raising his emerald green eyes to meet Anya's startling similar orbs. If he was astonished by her, Anya couldn't tell due to his relaxed composer and the intense way he gazed at her.

"May I help you?" His voice flowed around her like the most expensive velvet.

Anya recoils slightly, caught off guard by his attractiveness and his being itself. Even without her demon senses, she can still tell that he is a force she must be wary of; a stronger kitsune and –what's even more threatening – that he is male.

_Today is not my lucky day… _

"My name is Anastasia and I'm new here. Do you think that, maybe, after class, you could show me where my next class is? This is an enormous school." Anya smiles, her voice holding a certain amount of confidence and security despite how the vixen inside her desperately wants him to see her.

_He's the assignment. _Anya reminds herself. _This would be terrible if I let my instincts get the better of me. I can't risk getting close… Because, if worse comes to worst, I don't want to feel anything if I have to kill him…_

"Of course." Shuichi smiles "It would be my pleasure."

Anya nods then waves slightly before walking back to her desk and sliding into her seat, noting the envy in the classroom from the girls. Anya smiles at Miki then turns her attention to the window just as the bell rings, signaling the beginning of class.

Throughout the period, Anya barely paid attention; why bother learning this when she won't be in this cover any longer? Instead, Anya watches the trees sway and clouds form familiar shapes of animals or faces to amuse her mind. Even in her human form, Anya's eye sight is impeccable, and she can't help but study the rabbits taking advantage of the abandoned court yard to scavenge for some form of food. Squirrels chatter and swish their tails violently creating an ache in Anya's chest for her own tail to form and wrap around her waist. Ever since she was a kit, when Anya was uncomfortable, she would wrap her tail because it provided comfort her mind – or another being – could not provide.

"Anastasia." Miki gently nudges Anya's shoulder. "Hey, the bell rang. Do you want help finding your next class?"

"Huh?" Anya blinks out from her daze before comprehending the situation. "Um. No, no. Shuichi said he would take me to my next class."

Miki forces a cheerful smile before rushing out of the classroom leaving Anya to gather her belongings.

Sighing, Anya packs the little supplies she left out and vaguely scans the room for Shuichi, not wanting to take her eyes off him for a moment but he doesn't seem to be around. Anya purses her lips in annoyance before flipping her back pack over her shoulder and huffing.

_Wow. What a guy. He ditched me._

Just as Anya stepped out of the door, she noticed Shuichi leaning against the wall beside her, a charming smile on his face. Anya blinks then turns toward him, her head tilted and eyes confused.

"I thought you left." Anya mutters

Shuichi shakes his head then holds out his hand expectantly; at first, Anya supposes he wants to hold her hand but realization suddenly takes hold and she quickly retrieves her schedule from her waist band and places it in his palm, her face blushing wildly from the confusion.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. I got to find some way to get my vixen instincts back in control._

"Well, isn't this convenient," Shuichi says "we have many of the same classes. Save for 5th period."

"Oh! Really? That's cool." Anya mutters, scolding herself mentally for being so scattered around him. "Mind being my escort then?"

"Of course."

Shuichi hands her the schedule then casually walks through the hallways, occasionally glancing at Anya to make sure she still walks beside her as they make their way to P.E. Anya moves her hair to the side and breathes in the scents around her, familiarizing herself with her new territory and noting all the escape routes. A habit she developed after her first job. It almost ended with her dying a slow, terrible death but luck was on her side and leapt through a window. Demon or not, breaking through glass and tumbling down on cement still hurts like a bitch.

An older man strolls through the hallway; his arm knocks into Anya causing her to drop her back pack and some of the contents to spill out on the floor earning a low growl from the young vixen. People snicker and the older man just glares at her and sneers before turning his back to walk away but stops when Anya scoffs.

"My, such masculinity you have, sir. Knocking down a poor high school girl and not even offering an apology or to help her to her feet and gather her belongings. Such a proud, big man you are." Anya states, her emerald eyes locked on the man.

"You better watch your tongue, little girl. I could suspend you faster than you can blink." The man snarls.

"I would love to see you try."

Anya holds his gaze when she feels Shuichi kneel beside her and helps her stand as she takes her bag from the ground, zipping it up. He slings it over his shoulder and stares at the teacher before them, his once calm and caring emerald eyes holding a certain amount of hostility in them.

"She is correct, sir, being a teacher makes you a form of role-model. Your performance was a poor demonstration of how young men should act towards a lady." Shuichi coolly states.

The teacher straightens his tie with an arrogant smile on his lips then walks away, disregarding Shuichi and Anya's statements.

"Jerk…" Anya mutters.

"Indeed." Shuichi carefully takes Anya's elbow and leads her away, towards their next class.

In P.E., Anya was welcomed with glares and cold shoulders from every female in the gym but she ignored them, not wanting to waste her time with their jealousy. But, after she proved herself as a worthy opponent in female volleyball, most girls took her in with warm smiles and a pat on the back. And even a few guys could help but watch her movements, more interested in her body than her actual playing. Despite this knowledge, Anya felt happy. She traveled to different parts of the country –even to different worlds – but nothing felt as wonderful as this high school did. She felt like she could truly stay here and find somewhere to call home. Though, Anya knew this was impossible. She was a warrior – a loner. Home wasn't something she knew very well seeing how ever since she was small and her family was still alive, they would often move every night to locate a safer area to rest. Even after her family's departure to the afterlife, that part of Anya to persevere never died. She's a survivor. And staying after her job with Mickey Mouse will likely put everyone around in her danger.

"Hey, Anastasia, do you want to hang out after school?" One girl asks.

"We could go to the mall!" Says another

"Or maybe she has a date with Shuichi." The third states with a sly smile.

Anya blinks then waves her hands desperately, hoping to dismiss their suspicions but it doesn't seem to work. Instead, the three girls circle around her with playful smiles.

"Come on, you can't say that he's not cute. He's absolutely adorable! And didn't you say that you two had all classes together?" the first girl questions.

"Well, yeah… Except for 5th…" Anya murmurs, her body tensing in response to being cornered. A trapped fox is not a friendly fox.

"You two should go out! You'd be an adorable couple!" The third girl squeals.

"She'd have to go through Shuichi's fan club though…" mumbles the second girl.

"He has a fan club?" Anya questions, completely off guard.

"Well, yeah. I mean, some of these girls worship the very ground he walks on!" says the first.

"That's creepy…" Anya mutters.

The girls around her nod in agreement and Anya takes the chance to slip between them, escaping the corner. She exhales, calming herself before she goes into instinct mode and attack someone, and begins to walk away only to ram into a firm male chest who gasps. Anya shrieks then whirls around in an attempt to avoid falling but trips over her feet and ends up greeting the floor. She hears a thump as the guy she knocked in to lands on the ground, probably in a more graceful manner than her. She inhales, catching the scent of roses.

"Did she fall?" a couple of girls whisper among themselves.

"She knocked over poor Shuichi! What a cow!" another group growls.

Anya sighs then sits up, carefully easing herself into a standing position where she hisses in pain and winces. Her ankle throbs in protest of having weight applied to it, though Anya ignores it, not willing to show weakness to complete strangers.

"I didn't fall. I decided to give the floor a hug." Anya blankly states then turns, grabs her belongings and rushes away, despite her hurt ankle screaming at her in pain.

A few of the students laugh while others help Shuichi to his feet who calls out for Anya but she ignores him and rushes out the school gates and to her hotel room.

_Why am I running? This is so stupid of me! I'm not even going to be here long enough for them to criticize me for it… Ouch… My ankle hurts… I need to change… Badly…_

Anya rushes to the nearby woods and makes her way deep within only stopping when she loses the scent of humans and their city. She drops her stuff and shuts her eyes, waiting for the transformation to take place to not her demon form, but her fox form.

Anya learned this trick when she was a kit, turning into her animal self helps deal with pain easier as well as survival. She can make her way easier to the hotel without showing weakness to human males who have a tendency to stalk injured women. She learned that lesson. Not that she was hurt, thank goodness, but it gave her nightmares.

Anya leaps from her discarded clothes and tilts her head to the side, realizing that she should have at least taken them off and folded them before transforming. Sighing, she nudges it into her book bag and proceeds to drag her belongings towards the hotel, already feeling the affects of being in her natural form healing her injury.


	3. Chapter 3

Halfway through the ordeal of dragging her belongings back the hotel, Anya gave up and simply hid her bag in a bush to retrieve at a later time. She limps through the forest, whining when her injured foot hits roots and other rubble. Dusk and its beautiful array of colors arise, with owls and other nightly creatures wakening from their day sleep; they coo and chatter when Anya nears, earning a growl from the bitter vixen in return.

Now, Anya stops walking; she turns her head, looking, listening, and smelling her surroundings. Where is she? She couldn't possibly be lost? Her sense of direction is impeccable. A twig snaps from a nearby area and Anya bounds behind a tree much to the dismay of her injured ankle. Her ears pivot, hearing the faintest of noises all die away.

"Here, foxy, foxy, foxy. Come on out." A voice grumbles close by.

_Just my like… A creeper…_

Anya bears her fangs and curls against the tree, waiting for any sign of the voice. Chuckling all around her, makes every nerve in Anya's body shudder in worry.

"You can't escape, Anya. I've put a field around. No matter how far or how fast you run, you'll just end up right back to me."

_Great…. Who is this creeper_

Sighing, Anya looks around then bounds away, narrowly avoiding a hand that makes an attempt to grab her. She must find her bag so she can change back into her human form with clothes at the ready; fighting in the nude isn't an embarrassment Anya wishes to partake in today.

Before she can dive into a bush, a hand grabs her tail and rips her off the ground. She snarls and twists her body around to bite at the man; her pointed teeth meet skin and some blood followed by a fist slamming into her petite head. Dizzy from the multiple impacts, Anya releases his hand and whines from the new pain.

"You blasted woman! You're more trouble than you're worth!" The man shouts.

She's stuffed in a bag and before she can leap out again, it'd tied shut. She shuffles around, scratching at the interior in desperate attempts to get herself out, but to no prevail.

"Mickey's mad that you didn't get the job done, so he's hired me to do it for him. But I had to get you out of the way, first. And I gotta' say, I'm disappointed. I'd thought, for sure, you'd be more of a challenge than this. Guess it's my lucky day." He chuckles and slings the bag over his shoulder.

_Crap… Crap, crap, crap!_

Suddenly, Anya hears the man grunt and the bag falling; she hits the ground with a 'thud', earning a snarl mixed with a whine. She bites and claws at the fabric, her body wiggling around convulsively in a desperate attempt to get out of it.

"Shhh. Easy there. I will not hurt you." A somewhat familiar soft voice coos.

Anya stops; her ears back and body hunched into the very depths of the bag, prepared for anything that might reach in. The bag opens and Anya bolts only for a pair of arms to snatch her body and hug her close to a chest that smells faintly of…. Roses?

"My, you are a very beautiful, young vixen." Shuichi's emerald eyes smile at Anya, seeming to know very well what she is. "However, I cannot allow you to run off with those injuries."

_Injuries? What injuries?_

Shuichi carefully stands; Anya's body rested against his chest with one arm cradling her as his free hand carefully strokes her soft, fluffy back. He walks away but Anya catches the scene of the man who tried to hurt her, laying on his back with bloody gashes all over his body.

_If Shuichi could hurt that man, imagine what he would have done to me…_

When Shuichi opened the door to his family home, Anya noticed the strange emptiness of it all. The girls at school constantly spoke about his mother, step-father and step-father, but where were they?

"Well, this is convenient; I will not have to worry about smuggling you in to my room without my mother's notice. She will want to keep you, but that would impossible, would it not? Seeing as how you are not what you appear." Shuichi chuckles and walks upstairs, still stroking at Anya's back.

_He knows! Of course he knows. How could he not? I could sense the fox in him easily, so it's only natural that he could sense my demon!_

The door opens and Shuichi carefully sets Anya on his bed, smiling genuinely. Anya scampers back, her body pressed against his headboard with her fangs bared in defense.

"Easy. I will not hurt you. If you promise to stay put, I will get you some clothes from my mother's closet for you to wear. You are not old enough yet to change with clothes still on." Shuichi carefully leaves, shutting his door quietly.

Anya's ears pop up and swiftly she leaps off the bed, yelping and falling forward when her injured paw hits the ground and the world around her spins violently. She lies down, eyes shut in pain from her wounded head and leg.

The door opens and Anya feels herself lifted from the ground again and set on the bed. She opens her eyes, meeting the concerned orbs of Shuichi.

"Careful, now. I brought you some clothes so you may change. The bathroom is right over there." He gestures to a closed door on the other side of the room.

Gingerly, he lifts Anya in his arms, opens the restroom door and sets Anya on the cold tile floor, with her new clothes on the sink countertop. There, he shuts the door leaving Anya to change; sighing, Anya prepares herself for the transition, knowing full well it will hurt and leave her disorientated afterwards.

And it did. As soon as Anya felt every human part of her come into place, she lurched to the toilet and puked out the entire contents of her stomach as her head throbbed from a constant pain. With every other pulse, Anya groans and keeps her eyes shut, determined to not lose herself to the toilet again. Once the pain dies away, Anya musters the strength to stand and put on the undergarments, loose T-shirt and baggy jeans gifted to her.

_If I walk out now, Shuichi will know who I am… Everything will be ruined…_

Anya looks around the bathroom, noticing the tiny window. She's small, but not that puny enough to fit through it. Sighing, Anya opens the door and stumbles out into the room; she blushes, knowing full well that she looks like crap.

"Hello, Anastasia." Shuichi smiles, if he's surprised, he's doing a damn well good job of not showing it.

"Call me Anya… Anastasia was just a cover name…" Anya murmurs as she sways on her feet. "How come you're not surprised?"

"I sensed the vixen within you. She is rather… Straightforward." Shuichi chuckles at the memory then carefully walks toward Anya. "We can discuss everything in a later time. For now, it would be best if I got you something to eat and that you rest."

"Here? In your room? No, no, I couldn't!" Anya blushes and turns away from him, nearly falling in the process.

"You do not have a choice, Anya. Lay here." Shuichi lifts her in his arms and sets her down on the bed again.

As soon as Shuichi walks out the door, Anya huffs, crosses her arms and grumbles about being treated like a children. Sighing, she analyzes how clean the room is for a teenage boy and the way everything smells like roses. She breathes in the intoxicating scent that calms and lulls the vixen within her into a sense of security for the first time in a long while. Every muscle relaxes and Anya's buzzing mind slows, welcoming sleep; slowly, Anya wraps her arms around a pillow and nestles against it, with her knees pressed against her chest, she drifts away into a slumber.


End file.
